"A smile is a curve that sets everything straight."

“I just like to smile, smiling’s my favorite.”

If you didn’t recognize that quote from the movie Elf, then you might not smile enough.

Everyone knows smiling is contagious, but have you ever thought about what you actually gain from flashing those pearly whites?

Not only does smiling have a plethora of health benefits, such as reducing stress and lowering your blood pressure, this seemingly easy gesture can help in the field of PR as well.

Smiling can make the workplace more enjoyable-- people like happy people. It brings positivity and allows coworkers to feel more relaxed. Establishing client trust is a huge aspect of public relations. When client feel relaxed around PR professionals and are able to trust you, is most likely when you are able to get the most accomplished.

One job of PR practitioners is to story pitch over the phone. You will hear time and time again to smile as you give these because the journalist is able to “hear” your smile over the phone. If you smile, you seem cheerful and interested in what you’re pitching. A journalist is not going to find interest in something if the PR practitioner, the one who is trying to get his or her story covered, isn’t even interested. 

Everyone is guilty of wearing a frown every now and again, but if you want to get ahead in life it’s important to not let that become a habit. When you find yourself in that slump, just take a deep breath and follow these few helpful tips that I use myself:

•     Surround yourself with happy people
•        Do not dwell on the past
•       Indulge in your favorite latte
•         Go outside and enjoy the little things in nature
•        And last but not least, focus on the positives in your life and realize that you’re wasting precious “happy” time if you’re being unhappy